Have schools stopped pupils taking GCSE's early?

FBaby

Emmarillo wrote: »

My daughter has just taken a GCSE in year 9 and was very disappointed to have got a C. I think nerves played a huge part, and also she didn't have a clue how to revise. Of her friends nobody got higher than a C.

I think this has been the common result for many. One of my DD close friend had the same experience, and like you, none of those who took it early got higher than a C. This is what prompted my DD to say that she had no interest whatsoever in taking any early.

This is what makes me angry, making these pupils feel good about themselves having been selected to take it early, all this for them to feel like they have failed to achieve as expected, although through no fault of theirs. That really is poor educational practice

Lunar_Eclipse

FBaby wrote: »

What a minefield it all is... I suppose when a child is focus on going to secondary school, triple science is not an option, it has to be taken and compromises have to be made with the rest.

The other dilemma I am already starting to think about is college.. The only two colleges within 30 miles radius are not 'a' level focus and only a handful of pupils get A results at biology and chemistry. Of course, I don't know if it is due to the teaching, or the pupils ability, but I'm already starting to think about private schooling at this stage. We have two top ones but the fees are horrifying. DD and I have already discussed her getting some tutoring lessons to take her to the next level in Maths and Science (which the school won't do as she is already way ahead), in the hope of her being able to get a scholarship.

What are your plans for your son?

If your daughter is bright and likely to get straight A*'s at GCSE, then I suspect additional tutoring for potential sixth form entry will be unnecessary. Most private schools do not have entry exams at that stage, because they go by GCSE results (predictions) and interview.

You'll need to see if the school/s you'd consider offer scholarships for sixth form since many don't & they're not what they used to be, because private schools have been targeted with broadening their access. Bursary funding is usually an option and is brilliant in lower income households. It is means tested though, so where schools offer 100% bursaries, this will tend to be where family income is below 15k & stops completely by the time income is around 45-60k (figures based on SE schools.) Our local private school offers 2 scholarships/year, worth £500 and £750 annually. They are known as honorific, because clearly they hardly make a dent in the fees.

FBaby

No, no 6th forms

Sorry, there are some 6th forms colleges (I get all confused with the terminology) but they just don't have good science 'a' levels results. There are a number of private ones, but with very different results. My view is if we are going to pay, I'd rather pay a bit more for her to go to one with top results especially if she could get a scholarship (despite these being no more than 10%).

FBaby

Cross posting Lunar. Thank you for your suggestion. That is exactly what we are looking at. Any little helps, so even a reduction of 5% to 10% would be welcome! DD is keen on doing extra work as she has been feeling frustrated with not being able to get a better score at her tests (especially in Maths), just because she hasn't yet been taught the lesson. She will score almost perfect what she has learnt in class. Her teacher is aware of this and has said to me that in her case, the tests are more about finding it what she needs to focus on next, but it doesn't really happen as she is so ahead of the class. She said that she was clearly G&T in Maths and will get an A* so understandably she is not that bothered to push her even more. However, I assume there will be a number of kids like her applying for scholarships at these top schools, so thought some tutoring could possibly give her that extra edge?

I am also accepting that she is still only 13 at the moment and that for all I know, she'll decide that she wants to do something totally different by then end of this year! Not likely, but not impossible!

Lunar_Eclipse

FBaby wrote: »

Cross posting Lunar. Thank you for your suggestion. That is exactly what we are looking at. Any little helps, so even a reduction of 5% to 10% would be welcome! DD is keen on doing extra work as she has been feeling frustrated with not being able to get a better score at her tests (especially in Maths), just because she hasn't yet been taught the lesson. She will score almost perfect what she has learnt in class. Her teacher is aware of this and has said to me that in her case, the tests are more about finding it what she needs to focus on next, but it doesn't really happen as she is so ahead of the class. She said that she was clearly G&T in Maths and will get an A* so understandably she is not that bothered to push her even more. However, I assume there will be a number of kids like her applying for scholarships at these top schools, so thought some tutoring could possibly give her that extra edge?

I am also accepting that she is still only 13 at the moment and that for all I know, she'll decide that she wants to do something totally different by then end of this year! Not likely, but not impossible!

I find that an odd comment by the Maths teacher. Tests should examine how thoroughly a pupil/class can apply learnt concepts, so whilst they can highlight where individual or groups of pupils need more practice (perhaps because they missed key lessons or didn't understand it), the curriculum is very thoroughly planned down to every individual lesson. Are they saying she could have had trigonometry on an exam paper before knowing how to calculate the tangent or cosine for example? If that's the case I'm quite shocked, although I also think exams should be sufficiently challenging that no-one gets 100%.

"Top" schools will be full of high achieving pupils, because they are very selective in their intake, so scholarships will be very competitive. You'll need to look at the individual schools though.

Hopefully there are other G&T children at your daughter's school so firstly she doesn't feel 'very clever' (university can come as a bit of a shock then) and also so she is surrounded by people of similar intellect and ability.

Like yours, my daughter is currently considering Medicine, probably partly because she's always been good at Maths & Science, but has started to enjoy and really shine in the Humanities this year too. I'm fully expecting a switch, because it takes a while for them to see what they enjoy and excel at when they start to learn the far broader curriculum of secondary school. And if they're G&T, they are lucky to have a choice. Apart from Art in my daughter's case!

FBaby

What an odd comment by the Maths teacher. Tests examine how thoroughly a pupil/class can apply learnt concepts, so whilst they can highlight where individual or groups of pupils need more practice (perhaps because they missed key lessons or didn't understand it), the curriculum is very thoroughly planned down to every individual lesson. Are they saying she could have had trigonometry on an exam paper before knowing how to calculate the tangent for example? If that's the case I'm quite shocked, although I also think exams should be sufficiently challenging that no-one gets 100%.

Yes, that exactly it. It came about when DD was given a level 8 maths exam. She got all the questions related to the concept taught in class right (or only missed one or two), but then found herself unable to answer the questions about probabilities. These can't be answered by logic (which my DD tries to use), the methods need to be learnt to be applied. Despite being in the top group, this concept was not part of the taught curriculum. It frustrated my daughter that she couldn't get a top mark because of it however I understand that the teacher can't tailor the class lessons just for her. She tried when she could to spend a bit of time with her to go over a particular concept and give her some additional exercises, but her time was rightly be prioritised to those pupils who had more need of her attention.

"Top" schools will be full of high achieving pupils, because they are very selective in their intake, so scholarships will be very competitive. You'll need to look at the individual schools though. Hopefully there are other G&T children at your daughter's school so firstly she doesn't feel 'very clever' (university can come as a bit of a shock then) and also so she is surrounded by people of similar intellect and ability.

And I think that will do her good. From the moment she went to nursery, she was considered the very bright one. She received the pupil of the year award at her primary school. I thought that moving to a secondary school in a new town, she would start mixing with more pupils of her levels, but if anything, it's been the opposite. She is top of her class in all academic subjects. She is aware that they are other pupils as bright as her, but I think it would be a bit of a culture shock to experience it day to day.

Like yours, my daughter is currently considering Medicine, probably partly because she's always been good at Maths & Science, but has started to enjoy and really shine in the Humanities this year too. I'm fully expecting a switch, because it takes a while for them to see what they enjoy and excel at when they start to learn the far broader curriculum of secondary school. And if they're G&T, they are lucky to have a choice. Apart from Art in my daughter's case!

This is exactly the same situation with my DD. It is her science teacher who has started to put the idea in her head, and probably me unconsciously as I somehow regret not having gone the medical route, so at the beginning, I didn't take it too seriously, but in her case, the idea seems to have strengthened and continues to do so. She herself has done research about work experience and even started looking at different medical schools across the country! She went from making faces when she saw a drop of blood to having a blast at any dissecting task! We'll see, medical school is not the be all end all, there are many other medically related careers and less traditional paths available.

rachbc

In my sons school they all take English in yr 10 - if they get c or above they do Eng Lit in yr 11 and if not they do a different syllabus Eng Lang to retry for another C.

As DS wants to do A level Maths has been told he will do his maths GCSE exam in Nov then start the A1 after and depending on how well he is doing potentially sit A1 exam at end of Yr 11 meaning he can aim to do A2 Maths and higher Maths in sixth form

FBaby

rachbc wrote: »

In my sons school they all take English in yr 10 - if they get c or above they do Eng Lit in yr 11 and if not they do a different syllabus Eng Lang to retry for another C.

As DS wants to do A level Maths has been told he will do his maths GCSE exam in Nov then start the A1 after and depending on how well he is doing potentially sit A1 exam at end of Yr 11 meaning he can aim to do A2 Maths and higher Maths in sixth form

Are you happy with this? Do you think it is a good pathway? Not thinking it isn't, still totally confused at what this means, but am curious to know whether you are going along with it trusting the school's decision or whether you have considered it and agree that is the best for your son.

poet123

rachbc wrote: »

In my sons school they all take English in yr 10 - if they get c or above they do Eng Lit in yr 11 and if not they do a different syllabus Eng Lang to retry for another C.

As DS wants to do A level Maths has been told he will do his maths GCSE exam in Nov then start the A1 after and depending on how well he is doing potentially sit A1 exam at end of Yr 11 meaning he can aim to do A2 Maths and higher Maths in sixth form

I think that is pretty disgraceful actually. The C grade is the aspirational grade for the school stats not for the good of the child.

Spendless

FBaby wrote: »

Yes, that exactly it. It came about when DD was given a level 8 maths exam. She got all the questions related to the concept taught in class right (or only missed one or two), but then found herself unable to answer the questions about probabilities. These can't be answered by logic (which my DD tries to use), the methods need to be learnt to be applied. Despite being in the top group, this concept was not part of the taught curriculum. It frustrated my daughter that she couldn't get a top mark because of it however I understand that the teacher can't tailor the class lessons just for her. She tried when she could to spend a bit of time with her to go over a particular concept and give her some additional exercises, but her time was rightly be prioritised to those pupils who had more need of her attention.

Have you considered getting a private maths tutor to help with this? Twice (different subjects) I have paid for my son to have private tutoring and have been amazed at the results you get within a short space of time precisely because they are tailored to the understanding and on a 1-2-1 basis. In a maths lesson earlier this year son was told he was in danger of going down a set because he'd spent the whole of a lesson doing 1 question he didn't 'get'.

Son had been dropped a set once before in Junior school cos of exam grades and then because the work became 'easy' used the extra time to mess about! I didn't want a repeat performance at Secondary so I rang a tutor. Within the first couple of sessions tutor could see ability and worked with him on his understanding. Think he had around 6-8 sessions (from Feb 1/2 term to Easter).

Son ended the school year with maths the only subject he had exceeded his target in - despite not raising his attitude to learning from a 2! Costs will vary round the country. I live somewhere cheap (deprived!) so paid £20 for an hours session. Well worth the money it cost.